In this Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011 file photo, actress Angelina Jolie poses for a portrait to promote her directorial debut of the film "In the Land of Blood and Honey" in New York. Jolie authored an op-ed for Tuesday’s May 14, 2013 New York Times where she writes that in April she finished three months of surgical procedures to remove both breasts as a preventive measure. She says she’s kept the process private but is writing about it now with hopes she can help other women.

Carlo Allegri, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Summary

Genetic testing can result in a reduced risk of breast cancer, and movie star Angelina Jolie is helping increase awareness of the prevalent disease, following her announcement of a double mastectomy.

“Ms. Jolie did the right thing for her situation. Women need to know what their genetic history is and take appropriate measures.”

Dr. Brett Parkinson

SALT LAKE CITY — A Hollywood star's recent announcement of a pre-emptive double mastectomy is working wonders to raise awareness of breast cancer screening, but local physicians say not everyone should run out and be tested for the mutated gene that might lead to such a dramatic decision.

"The whole point of doing the genetic testing is to stratify your risk level," said Megan Judkins, a certified genetic counselor at St. Mark's Hospital in Salt Lake City. "After you know the category of risk you face, it helps you determine the method of medical management to take."

Movie star and director Angelina Jolie made her decision to remove both breasts public Tuesday in a column for the New York Times. She said her reason for doing so was to help women realize they have options.

"Life comes with many challenges," Jolie wrote. "The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of."

To the same tune, Dr. Brett Parkinson said Jolie's proactive decision "empowers women. It lets women know they can make decisions for their own health."

As imaging director of breast services at Intermountain Medical Center, Parkinson said another option for Jolie would have been annual mammography screenings, supplemented with MRIs.

"It does not make sense for women of average risk to (have a double mastectomy)," he said. "Even women with breast cancer shouldn't necessarily have a mastectomy."

Lumpectomies, coupled with radiation and other treatments, he said, can sometimes be just as beneficial in delaying or removing additional cancer risks.

Parkinson said mastectomy is not a complicated surgical procedure, but it carries the risk of surgery and there is a recovery time.

Rebecca Castleton, 34, has no family history of breast cancer but was diagnosed with breast cancer and carries the mutated tumor suppressor gene, BRCA1, which increases the risk of it returning.

After trying various methods of treatment, Castleton decided to have one of her breasts removed earlier this year and said the procedure, although emotionally and physically taxing, has given her peace of mind.

“Always not knowing if it would come back was really hard for me,” she said, adding that much like Jolie, she had to do what was best for her individual situation.

“I’m a good person regardless of cancer, and this is my choice,” Castleton said. “I have to be confident in what I decide. There’s not just one way. There are so many options.”

Judkins said she's already received several emails portraying enhanced concern among patients following Tuesday’s high-profile announcement. Jolie, she said, did the right thing being tested for BRCA1 and BRCA2, as her own mother died at a relatively young age (56) from ovarian cancer, according to the Times column.

A family history of breast or ovarian cancer, Judkins said, is a big indicator of whether it is likely to strike in future generations. Testing for the gene mutation that can lead to cancer is relatively simple, requiring only a saliva or blood sample.

The only such commercially available genetic test is provided by Salt Lake City-based Myriad Genetics at a cost of about $4,000.

Judkins said if breast cancer is evident in a family history, the test is typically covered by insurance and turnaround time for the highly scientific results is generally about two weeks.

Because of her mother's plight and being found to be BRCA1-positive, Jolie's risk of breast cancer turned out to be 87 percent, and it was determined to be 50 percent for ovarian cancer. Jolie wrote that having the elective double mastectomy lowered her breast cancer risk to less than 5 percent.

Popular Comments

IMAPatriot2: Yes, that's your opinion, and you did not have to read the
article, let alone comment on it it...BUT, what if hearing about her
experience prompts only one woman to get a checkup and it saves her life? Breast cancer,
More..

9:16 a.m. May 15, 2013

Top comment

photographermom

South Jordan, UT

Not much of a Hollywood fan, but I think this was an incredibly brave choice,

6:10 p.m. May 14, 2013

Top comment

snowman

Provo, UT

Albert Maslar CPA (Retired: She has a family history of breast and oviaian
cancer. She did the right thing to prevent it. She was thinking of her
children

Wendy Leonard works as a reporter for the Deseret News, and while her daily duties are dictated by breaking news, she currently focuses on writing about issues involving health care, medicine and transportation. She began more ..